Speed-indicator for motor-cars and other vehicles.



0 BOTHE & 0. LUSOHER. SPEED INDICATOR FOR MOTOR CARS AND OTHER VEHICLES.

- APPLICATION FILED AER. 2B, 1909.

Patented July 4 2 BHEETS-SHEET 1.

0. BOTHB & 0. LbscHER.

SPEED 1111110111011 1011 110101101119, 111111 0111111 VEHICLES.APPLIOATIOH FILED APR. 28, 1909 996,966. I Patented Jul 4, 1911.

2 BHEETB-SHBET 2.

FTQ.

OTTO BOTHE AND OTTO LOSCHER, OF BERLIN, GERMANY.

SPEED-INDICATOR FOR MOTOR-CARS AND OTHER VEHICLES.

v Specification of Letters latent.

Patented July 4,, 19M.

Application file d April 28, 1909. Serial No. 492,738.

Toall whom concern:

Be it known that we, -OTTO Bo'rHn, me-

' chanical engineer, a subject of the German declare the following to bea full, clear, and

enact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of the present invention is to provide a speed indicator formotor vehicles, which not only registersthe gradual rise and fall ofthespeed of .the vehicles in the usual manner by means of an indicatinghand,butals o marks by a second hand the speed'in a definite number ofsteps reach ing from zero to the highest speed allowed on public roads,the second hand moving in leaps from one step to another and remainingfixed as long as the car does not exceed the speed limits of that step.The hands of the indicator are so arranged and of such size as to be notonly visible to the driver or .the occupants of the vehicle, but also topersons on the road, and from some distance, so as to enable policemenand others to exercise an eflicient control, as to whether the.regulations as to speed are duly observed.

The present invention further consists in certain improvements in themechanism or driving gear of speed indicators.

To produce a leaping movement of the indicating hand, it has beenproposed to connect it elastically, for instance by two springs actingin opposite directions, to a contin uously adjusted speed measuringgear, and

to lock the leaping hand by a device adapted to be released by thecontinuously adjusted gear, whenever the speed exceeds certain limits ineither direction. The leaping hand then moves' backward orforward a stepunder the, influence of its elastic connection. This arrangement hashowever numerous drawbacks. The continuously adjusted measuring gear hasto perform the work of moving the leaping hand, and the accuracy ofmeasurement is thereby impaired. Further the leaping hand points true inone direction only, in the-other direction it will always point a steptoo high orqt oo low. The practical use of such an apparatus istherefore very limited.

To avoid the above mentioned drawbacks in the mechanism of the speedindicator according to the present invention, the mecha nism moving theleaping hand is not made dependent on .the continuously adjustedmeasuring gear, but is driven by an independent spring both forward andbackward.

. The spring is generally locked by the mechanism itself and isdisengaged by the continuously adjusted measuring" gear, whenever thespeed-exceeds certain limits.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a vertical section of themechanism and dials of the indicator. Fig. 2 is a section on line 22 ofFig. 1. Figs. 3 and 4 aredetails of the locking device which show theparts in the position to advance the leaping hand one step. Figs. 5 and6 are the dials of the indicator. 7 I

v The drawings represent a form of the present invention by which thespeed of the vehicle is indicated in four distinct steps. The mechanismofthe indicator is inclosed in a casing aiid fixed in the wall of themotor vehicle. on. the outer wall of .the casing a dial A of large size,as shown in .Fig. 5, is arranged, pver which theleaping band C moves,whereas on the carward side of the casing a-smaller dial B is fixed,over which a smaller lea ing hand D and a continuously adjusted inicating hand E. move. Both dials are provided with figures on theircircumference indicating the speed in' miles per hour, or any otherdesired ratio. By this arrangement the occupants of the car are keptfully aware of the speed of the vehicle, the leaping hand indicating theupper limit of'the step in question and the continuously adjusted handforming an angle with it, the size of which indicates at a. glance,whether the vehicle is nearing said limit or not.

Referring to Fig. l the outer leaping hand is carried 011 a shaft a. Oneend of the shaft a is journaled in the outer wall 1 of the casing andits other end in a partition wall 2, and it.is rotated one step ineither direction whenever the speed of the vehicle exceeds or fallsbelow the upper or lower limit respectively of the step in question. Therotation of the shaft a in both directions .is accomplished by means ofa single spring inclosed m the casing c which spring is rewouud mittirnaiticallyjbymeans of a driving shaft?) and a separate mechanism to bedescribed later on. The movement of the spring casmounted loosely on theshaft a. The wheels the spe h and i are therefore rotated in oppositedirections by means of the spring casing a. Two disks 3' and 7c aresecured to the wheels h and 2', said disks being provided with two teethZ, m and Z, m, placed on opposite sides of said disks.

placed also on opposite sides of, their respective disks. The pawlnormally engages one of the teeth .on the disk j, while the pawl gnormally engages one of the teeth on the disk 70, and as these disks arerotated by means of the spring casing c,- this movement is transmittedto the shaft a by means of the pawls p, g, and disks n, 0. wheels h andiare however rotated in opposite directions by 'the spring casing c andtherefore act in opposite directions on the shaft (1, which thus remainslocked, as long as the pawls engage both the disks 9', 70. On thecarward side of the partition wall 2 is journaled a shaft- 7', the outerend of which is journaled in the wall 1 of the indicator casing. Theshaft 1' is connected 'with the speed measuring gear and is continuouslyadjusted in a known manner according to the speed of the vehicle. Thecarward end of the shaft 7" projects through the center of the dial D,and carries the continuously' adjusted hand E. Above the shaft 1" asecond sh ft 7" is arranged, which extends from the outerto the innerwall of the indicator casing. The shaft 1- is geared to the shaft a onthe one'hand by the wheels 10 and 11, and on the other hand by thewheels 12, 13 to a box loosely mounted on the end of the shaft 1' andcarrying the leaping hand D. On the shaft 7* a socket- 14 is looselymounted, carrying two cogwheels 15,

and 16. The wheel 15 gears with a wheel .17, carried on the shaft 7* andthe wheel 16 gears with a cogwheel w loosely mounted on the shaft a,thereby'connecting the wheel 16 and the -mechanism workin the leapinghands to the continuously ad usted shaft. 1'.

The cogwheel 00 carries on each side a cam disk 8 and 8'. These camdisks are adapted to engage pins 25 and 15' carried on the pawls p and qand extending through slots in the disks 0 and n. When therefore ta ofthe vehicle exceeds or falls below the upper or lower limit respectivelyof a step, the continuously adjusted measuring gear will have rotatedthe shaft rand wheels 17, 16, 15 and m so far, thatone of the pawls pppdg is'raised by the pin t-or t coming Fixed on the shaft a, j are twodisks n and o carrying pawls p and g The cogeeepee tion of the parts isas follows. The toothed disk j engaging the pawl p, strives to Totatethertshaft a to the right, that is in the directio of rising speed. Thetoothed disk 7c engaging the pawl q strives to rotate the shaft a in theopposite directionv 'Shaft a is accordingly locked, and the leapingindicator remains stationary. As soon however as the speed rises abovethe upper limit of the speed step, the continuously adjusted cam disk sengages the pin t on the pawl r raises the pawl and releases the toothm. Thetoothed disks 7', is, are now unlocked and are free to rotate inopposite directions. The disk 7' however still engages the pawl p andthe shaft a, which is accordingly rotated .tothe right and causes theleaping indicator spring casing 0 with equal velocity, the

pawl q will come into contact with the second tooth Z of the disk 70,after having made a quarter of a revolution and thereby again locks thedisks and thc,shaft. It is therefore evident, that the leaping indicatorwill by this arrangement accomplish a quarter revolution, whenever thespeed of the ve hicle exceeds the limits of a speed step. In case thespeed of the vehicle diminishes and falls below the limit of the step,the same series of movements occurs in the contrary direction. The otherpawl '72 will be raised by the cam disk 8, and the shaft will be rotatedto the left by toothed disk Is, by means of the pawl a, and theindicator will accordingly move backward into the position correspondingto the preceding speed step.

To preclude the possibility of adjusting the indicator by hand to theposition corresponding to a lower speed step, a stop it is provided,adapted to engage a projection on the pawl g, This stop limits theupward movement of the pawl, so that it can not be...

ously rotated by means of a gearing (not shown), connected to thedriving axle of the car. Journaled on a pin fixed in the ratchet seasontact with the ratchet wheel .2 by a weak' spring 19. When the spring'casing has made one revolutionthe stop on the spring casing engages thepawl y' and brings it-into engagement with theratchet wheel a.

The ratchet wheel o and the shaft 6 are then rotated. 1n the directionof the arrow in Fig. 2, and the springthereby wound up. This movementcontinues till the pawl has so far outrun the stop. 20 on the springcasing, that the stop again engages the pawl from behind and sodisengages it from the ratchet wheel a.

We claimz 1. In a speed indicator, continuously adjusted speed measuringmechanism, a device to indicate stepsfor ranges of speed, normallylocked means, including a spring, to actuate said device, means operatedposi- "tively by said speed measuring mechanism,

whencertain speeds are attained, to release said actuating means, andmeans to rewind said spring automatically.

' 2. lln a speed indicator having continuously adjusted speed measuringmechanism, the combination of a continuously adjusted indicating hand, aleaping hand for marking the speed in a definite number of steps, adriving gear for actuating said leaping hand, a spring for actuatingsaid driving gear and acting independently of the corn tinuouslyadjusted speed measuring mechanism, and means for winding up saidspring. 1

3. In a speed indicator having continuously adjusted speed measuringmechanism, the combination of a leaping hand for marking the speed in adefinite number of steps, a driving gear for actuating said leapinghand, a spring for actuating said driving gear and acting independentlyof the con tinuously adjusted speed measuring mechanism, and means forwinding up said spring.

4. In a speed indicator having continuously adjusted speed measuringmechanism, the combination of a leaping hand for marking the speed in adefinite number of steps, and means for actuating said hand, comprisinga shaft carrying the same, two cog wheels loosely mounted on said shaft,means for rotating them in opposite directions, a spring to operate saidlast means and acting independently ofthe continuously adjusted speedmeasuring mechanism, toothed disks secured to the respective cogwheels,two disks fixed on said shaft and carrying pawls placed at equaldistances oppositely from each other and adapted to engage normally oneof the teeth of said disks, a 'cogw'heel mounted loosely on said shattbetween said fixed disks and driven from the continuously adjusted speedmeasuring mechanism, and cam-disks on said co Wheel adapted to nal'easeone or the other oi said pawls when. the said cam disks are rotated bythe con tinuously adjusted speed measuring mechanism. I

'5. ln aspeed indicator-having continuously adjusted speed measuringmechanism,

the combination of a continuously adjusted indicating hand, aleapinghand marking the speed in a definite number of steps and means foractuating said leapinghand, com. prising a shaft carrying the same, twocogwheels loosely mounted on said shaft, means for rotating them inopposite directions, a-

spring to actuate said last means and operating independently of thecontinuously adjusted speed measuring mechanism, toothed disks securedto the respective cogwheels, two disks fixed on said shaft and chrryingpawls placed at equal distances oppositely from each other, and adaptedto normally engage one of the teeth of said disks, a cogwheel mountedloosely on said shaft between the fixed disks, and driven from thecontinuously adjusted speed measuring mechanism, andcam disks on saidcogwheel adapted to release one or the other of said pawls when said camdisks are rotated by the continuously adjusted speed measuringmechanism.

6. In a speed indicator having continuously adjusted speed measuringmechanism, the combination of two oppositely directed dials, a. leapingindicator hand to sweep each dial, a continuously adjusted indicatorhand to sweep one dial, mechanism for actuating the leaping hands, aspring to drive said mechanism and acting independently of thecontinuously adjusted speed measuring mechanism and means releasable bythe continuously adjusted speed measuring mechanism to normally locksaid driving mechanism. I r

In testimony whereof we have alfixed our signatures, in presence oftwowitnesses.

orro norms. orro Loscrmn- Witnesses HENRY Hasrnn, WOLDEMAR HAUru copiesof this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing theCommissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

